B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark went on the offensive Monday night against NDP Leader Adrian Dix in the only televised leaders debate of the provincial election campaign, seeking traction for her governing party running far behind New Democrats in the polls. The 90-minute debate was widely seen as a pivotal moment in the 28-day campaign, coming at the halfway mark and with public-opinion surveys pointing to an NDP return to power for the first time since 2001. An Angus-Reid poll last week had the party running 14 points ahead of the Liberals. Ian Bailey and Justine Hunter report. B.C. leaders trade punches in election's only televised debate

Provincial politicians promising not to override Esquimalt if it refuses to rezone property for regional sewage-treatment facilities could be setting a worrisome precedent, says Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard. Waste-management facilities such as landfills and sewage plants are notoriously difficult to locate, Leonard said. But municipalities reluctant to approve them know the province has the ability under the Waste Management Act to override their decisions. Last week, New Democrat platform chairwoman Carole James said an NDP government would not consider overruling Esquimalt if the township refused to rezone a Viewfield Road property to allow a sewage biosolids facility. But if the province were to refuse to override Esquimalt, Leonard wonders if it would also refuse to use its authority under the Waste Management Act in other jurisdictions. Bill Cleverely reports. Promise not to override Esquimalt on sewage could set precedent, Saanich mayor says

Members of Puget SoundCorps began removing creosote-treated debris Monday from four Kitsap County parks, starting with Old Mill County Park in Silverdale. The work involves identifying creosote debris and hauling it off the beaches. The crew is scheduled to move from Old Mill Park to Point No Point County Park near Hansville on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, workers will finish up at Norwegian Point County Park in Hansville and Salsbury Point County Park near the Hood Canal bridge. In addition to old creosote pilings, the six-member crew will remove pieces of old docks and man-made structures that have washed up on the park beaches. Creosote debris can leach a mixture of toxic chemicals into the shoreline environment. Chris Dunagan reports. Crew removes creosote debris from Kitsap County parks

Piles of plastic are piling up in some B.C. recycling facilities thanks to a recent Chinese ban on importing unwashed post-consumer plastics. The crackdown is forcing some companies to stop collecting plastics altogether, while others scramble to find new markets for the materials. "I don't want to turn my five acres into a plastic field," said Ed Shea, who collects bottles and bags on his five-acre property in Prince George. Shea used to send the plastic to a Lower Mainland company that shipped them to China, but now the recycling has nowhere to go. Chinese plastic ban affecting B.C. recyclers

Her journey started with an orphan whale but morphed into much more. In 2002, Donna Sandstrom was part of the intense effort to return the orca named Springer to its home waters off Vancouver Island. "It was a life-changing event. We had worked together for a common goal, getting a little whale home," said Sandstrom, who later worked collaboratively to save the endangered species. But Sandstrom had an educational concept that she wanted to bring to life: the The Whale Trail (www.thewhaletrail.org). She started the nonprofit, assembled a team of partners, and was in work mode by 2008. Sharon Wootton reports. Whale Tail signs remind of the marine mammals here

Gov. Jay Inslee is calling a special session in Olympia so that lawmakers can complete their work on a new two-year budget. After a 105-day regular legislative session, the state Legislature adjourned Sunday evening without coming to an agreement on a new budget. Inslee immediately called them to return on May 13. Lawmakers are tasked with patching a projected budget deficit of more than $1.2 billion for the next two-year budget, not counting additional money needed for a court-ordered requirement that they increase funding to basic education. Gov. Inslee calls special session; lawmakers returning May 13 to complete budget.

A federal appeals court has thrown out an agreement between environmentalists and the federal government that restored protections for rare species in old growth forests. The Thursday ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a victory for the timber industry, which was shut out of talks leading to the agreement. The appeals court found that such a significant change in forest management has to go through a public process. Court tosses agreement over rare forest species

Old-fashioned carwashes that allow dirty, soapy water to wash into storm drains are starting to fade into history — and none too soon for water-quality experts. Public awareness about the problems of dirty stormwater is on the rise, said Mindy Fohn of Kitsap County’s Surface and Stormwater Management Program. A recent Kitsap County survey showed that three-fourths of respondents believed that old-fashioned carwashes should be discontinued, she said.... As a result, many nonprofit groups have switched to raising money by selling carwash coupons for use at commercial carwashes. Commercial carwashes are required to either filter their wash water or else discharge it into a sanitary sewer that goes to a sewage-treatment plant. Chris Dunagan reports. Old-fashioned carwashes are dying out

A hybrid farmland grass, developed by a team of UK researchers, could help reduce flooding, a study has shown. A team of plant and soil scientists said tests showed the new cultivar reduced run-off by 51%, compared with a variety widely used to feed livestock. They added that rapid growth and well developed root systems meant that more moisture was retained within the soil rather than running into river systems. The findings appear in the journal Scientific Reports. Mark Kinver reports. Hybrid grass 'could reduce flooding impact'

While the "muzzling" of Canadian government scientists is worrying to some democracy advocates, citizen science activism is one movement that is providing greater transparency....Citizen science activism is perhaps now more than ever necessary to ensure that science remains more open, accessible and inclusive. Science activism is about taking science out of labs and bringing it into communities to create positive, lasting change by engaging people, and incorporating their testimonies into the research. Dalal Kheder, Idil Mussa, Natalie Paddon and Andrea Smith report. How Activism Drives Citizen Science

As many North Mason residents have suspected from the beginning, Mason County does not have the money to pay for the Belfair sewer system. The sewer system isn’t bringing in enough revenue to cover the cost of maintenance and operations and debt repayment, which is required by state law, said Mason County Commissioner Randy Neatherlin. The price tag for keeping the Belfair sewers running will reach more than $1.4 million in 2014, including nearly $700,000 in maintenance and operations costs and another $736,000 to cover debt the county took out to pay for the system. Arla Shephard reports. Mason County can't afford to pay for Belfair sewer system

Pink flamingos on stilts, bats on skates, umbrella jellyfish and dandelion-seed hats mean only one thing: It’s Procession of the Species in downtown Olympia. The annual event took over the streets of downtown for the 19th year Saturday with onlookers lining up for prime seating hours before the event began. Children passed the time with street chalk and bubble-blowing, watching people walk about the streets dressed in costume. Chelsea Krotzer reports. Procession of the Species is elemental to Olympia

A 175-foot Peninsula Plywood mill chimney stack that fought being felled April 8 — before saws and torches did the trick — is still in a fractured pile while its remains are examined for levels of dioxin, a toxic compound, Port of Port Angeles Director of Engineering Chris Hartman said Friday. That means this Friday's deadline date for completing demolition of the 439 Marine Drive industrial site will be delayed by a few days, he said. The dioxin levels are “considerably greater than what we thought,” Hartman said. Paul Gottlieb reports. PenPly stack dioxin level delays finish of mill demolition

Friday, April 26, 2013

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment has a few more pictures and observations about her friends Donald and Daisy. "Earlier this week I introduced you to our friends Donald and Daisy Mallard... As promised, here are two more photos of the lovely couple during one of their exploratory waddles around our yard, and an update on their comings and goings. You’ll notice that Donald is vigilant, while Daisy’s focus in on the ground, searching out all potential edibles. I took the photos from inside the house, where I was cheering her on – the more slugs she swallows, the better our garden veggies will fare!" The Lovely Couple, Part Two

Geotechnical engineers have set up a three-story drill along Fircrest Avenue just above a bluff that was blown out by a massive landslide last month. They drilled down more than 280 feet to collect core samples that may tell them how stable the remaining slope really is. They found sand, silt and unstable layer of saturated clay below sea level. Lee Stoll reports. Deep dig may answer questions about Whidbey slide

Esquimalt won’t be forced to accept a sewage sludge plant if the NDP wins government, the party says. Carole James, the party’s platform co-chair, said an NDP government would not consider overruling Esquimalt if the township refused to rezone a Viewfield Road property to allow a sewage biosolids facility. Esquimalt residents expressed outrage last month when the Capital Regional District announced it had negotiated in secret to buy the Wilson Foods warehouse site on Viewfield Road for $17 million, as a potential location for the region’s biosolids plant. Rob Shaw reports. NDP says it wouldn't force sludge plant on Esquimalt if party wins government

Nothing spoils a summer swim in your favorite lake like an algae bloom. These become more common as the weather warms up. And almost every summer until last summer, Lake Lorene near Seattle would turn pea soup green.... The problem here is similar to so many other built up lakes. Stormwater, goose poop, and fertilizer runoff all carry phosphorus into the lake. That dissolved phosphorus is the key nutrient for algae growth. Left unchecked, blue-green algae can turn toxic. It can make people sick and kill pets and livestock. Earlier this week, aquatic biologists treated the lake with a new product to prevent toxic blooms. A three man crew in a small work boat crisscrossed the lake and a brownish plume spread out behind the boat’s stern. AquaTechnex aquatic biologist Adam Kleven explained that the crew injected the eight-acre lake with a follow up dose of the new mineral treatment, called Phoslock. The slurry, he said, is a combination of the element lanthanum and powdered clay. “What this product does is drift through the water column binding with the phosphorus and permanently locking it down in towards the sediment.” Tom Banse reports. Lake Managers Get New Tool To Combat Algae

Vancouver’s irreverent band of political activists and comics behind the viral Sh*t Harper Did videos are hoping to take their message to the mainstream after raising enough money for a national television ad. The group has already raised more than $17,000 for the spot through indiegogo, a popular online fundraising platform. The group has surpassed its initial goal of $6,000 to buy an ad on prime-time TV and reach a 150,000 estimated viewers. There are 22 days left in the campaign and organizers state that if they raise $95,000 they will “share their message” during an NHL playoff game and reach an estimated one million Canadians. Mike Hagar reports. Sh*t Harper Did activists coming to a TV screen near you in political ad

Eye Candy: The Stanley Park Ecology Society held its inaugural photo contest, entitled "A Week in the Life of Stanley Park," from April 6-14. Eight winners were selected this week from more than 600 photo submissions from over 100 photographers. The contest was judged by Vancouver-based wildlife photographer and National Geographic Explorer Paul Colangelo, musician Ben Worcester of Said the Whale, and entrepreneur and award-winning blogger (Miss 604) Rebecca Bollwitt. Photo contest: A Week in the Life of Stanley Park

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Animal-rights activists Wednesday won a round in the long-running fight over the fate of Lolita, a killer whale captured in Puget Sound and kept in the Miami Seaquarium for more than four decades. The federal government accepted a petition that calls for the captive orca to be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The move means the government will consider the activists’ arguments over the next nine months, before making a decision early next year, said Brian Gorman, spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Seattle. Sandi Doughton reports. In the battle to free an orca, activists secure a small victory

If you like to watch: Salmon Confidential is a new film on the government cover up of what is killing BC’s wild salmon. When biologist Alexandra Morton discovers BC’s wild salmon are testing positive for dangerous European salmon viruses associated with salmon farming worldwide, a chain of events is set off by government to suppress the findings. Tracking viruses, Morton moves from courtrooms, into British Columbia’s most remote rivers, Vancouver grocery stores and sushi restaurants. The film documents Morton’s journey as she attempts to overcome government and industry roadblocks thrown in her path and works to bring critical information to the public in time to save BC’s wild salmon. (1 hr 10 minutes) Salmon Confidential- the Documentary

A plan embraced by the Port Townsend School Board to use the area's seaside environment in public education was described to an audience of business and community members Wednesday. School Superintendent David Engle and Northwest Maritime Center Executive Director Jake Beattie talked to about 70 people, tracing the path of the proposal from a theoretical discussion between the two directors to a point where it could change the scope of local education.... Students would learn subjects in the context of the sea and how knowledge is put into perspective by proximity to the water. Charlie Bermant reports. Maritime curriculum outlined for Port Townsend schools

Democrats in the Washington state House are moving ahead with a tax plan valued at $900 million over the next two years. The House narrowly approved a variety of tax changes Wednesday, including the permanent extension of business taxes to raise more than half a billion dollars. The plan would also repeal tax breaks for travel agents, bottled water and fuel. The House is now engaged in budget negotiations with the Senate, which approved a budget without the tax changes. House Democrats approve Wash. tax package

The Senate version of a proposed state budget for the next two years would eliminate funding for the Washington Department of Ecology's local field office, but Democrats and agency officials say shutting that office would cost more than it would save. The possible shutdown of Ecology's office in Fairhaven also attracted a protest letter from Merle Jefferson, executive director of natural resources at Lummi Nation.... But State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, contends that Ecology is paying far too much for its office, and the budget proposal from the Republican-controlled Senate would fix that by deleting two years of rent, amounting to about $650,000 or $25,000 per month plus incidental costs..... "They (Republicans) are just sending a message that they don't like the Department of Ecology," (State Rep. Jeff) Morris, (D-Mount Vernon) said. "I think there were a lot of cuts in the Senate budget that weren't rational from a fiscal perspective, and this was one of them." John Stark reports. Ecology Department's office in Bellingham threatened with closure

The Olympia City Council’s vote to buy private land on the city isthmus for a future park depends on $1 million in state funding. But with time running out on the legislative session Sunday, the funding request must get over a high hurdle – and only the House capital budget has any money for the land at this point. But the City Council’s vote drew a chuckle – and no pledge of money – from the House capital budget writer Wednesday. “They voted for that deal assuming they’ll get $1 million from the state,” House Capital Budget chair Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said in the House wings, noting he had read The Olympian news report about the vote. “That was amusing to me.” Brad Shannon and Matt Batcheldor report. State funding for isthmus not assured

No one walking the halls of Olympia is surprised Washington's 147 lawmakers and governor will need a special session to finish their work. When it will begin and how long it will run is anyone's guess. It's a good bet once the overtime period begins it will last for most or all of the 30 days allowed by law. Twenty-two times since 1980 legislators could not finish without at least one extra session and, on average, those ran 18 days. Jerry Cornfield reports. Duration of special session is anyone's guess

NOTHING INVOKES PRIMEVAL times like the call of a great blue heron. The giant bird’s cry—a rasping, croaky wonk—is a haunting echo from an age when its dinosaur ancestors ruled the skies. “You’ll definitely hear them before you see them,” Dylan Schroeder, a seasonal guide at Chilliwack’s Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve, advised the Georgia Straight during a visit. “Herons emit a prehistoric sound, clucking and squealing like a stuck pig.” Jack Christie reports. Great blue herons nest and beguile in B.C.

After five often-tortuous years, the Burien City Council is set to approve this month a shoreline master plan that will likely be approved by the state. The council will hold a public hearing May 6 on a compromise plan worked out by an ad hoc committee. The hearing will be held as part of the regular 7 p.m. council meeting in the City Hall/Library multipurpose room, 400 S.W. 152nd St. The largest controversy concerned setback requirements along the city’s Puget Sound shoreline. (Read the ‘compromise’ in the article.) Eric Mathison reports. Burien shoreline plan

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Entering her final year in office, former Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire found herself in a difficult spot: Indian tribes, powerful supporters of the governor, wanted stricter water pollution rules. Why? Because the current regulations mean tribal members, along with sport fishermen and some other Washington residents, regularly consume dangerous amounts of toxic chemicals in fish from local waterways. But Gregoire’s supporters in the aerospace industry—spearheaded by The Boeing Co.—were dead set against tightening the rules. The Washington State Department of Ecology pushed mightily to strengthen the pollution limits before Gregoire left office, successfully outmaneuvering Republican legislators, only to see the plans dashed one day after a high-level meeting between the former governor and former Boeing Executive Vice President Jim Albaugh, according to newly released government records. Robert McClure and Olivia Henry report. How Boeing, allies torpedoed state’s rules on toxic fish

Port Metro Vancouver, which has come under fire for approving a $200-million coal terminal expansion in North Vancouver three months ago, is now facing criticism over a proposed new $15-million coal-handling facility for the Fraser River in Surrey. It says open houses will be held in May to hear questions about the Surrey proposal. The details of the open houses have not been worked out, but the plan is for project proponent Surrey Fraser Docks, BNSF rail line and Port Metro Vancouver to be on hand to answer questions. Gordon Hoekstra reports. Surrey coal-handling project to get more public scrutiny: Port Metro Vancouver

Popular saltwater beaches across the state soon will be tested for bacteria to prevent illness caused by contact with fecal-contaminated water. The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health program will begin testing at 62 publicly accessible beaches on May 20. The program is federally funded and organized at the state level by Ecology and the Department of Health. Testing by local partners — health agencies, tribal nations, university coordinators, nonprofit groups and volunteers — will continue through September. Mark Stayton reports. Bacteria testing to begin at local beach, boat launch

In a surprise vote, the Olympia City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to pay an estimated $3.3 million to buy two properties on the downtown isthmus, an area that was the site of a controversial proposal to build two upscale condominium buildings. The move, which would allow for a new park, came suddenly; the item was a late addition to the council’s agenda. City staff earlier reached a tentative purchase and sale agreement with Capital Shores Investments for the properties at 505 and 529 Fourth Ave. E., which total 2.3 acres. The proposed price is $3.1 million, plus past and current property taxes, for a full estimated price of $3.3 million. Capital Shores had already signed the agreement, but the council’s vote was necessary to push it forward. All council members attending Tuesday’s meeting voted for it. Council members Karen Rogers and Steve Langer were absent. Matt Bacheldor reports. Olympia council votes to buy isthmus properties for $3.3 million

The American Seafood Company vessel American Dynasty collided with the docked HMCS Winnipeg which has just undergone a massive refit and upgrade in Esquimalt, B.C., Tuesday. The trawler spent most of Tuesday with its bow crumpled into the side of the Canadian warship, but the vessels were finally separated late in the day. The 90-metre trawler was being towed by tug boats when it broke away and hit Winnipeg, which was docked and undergoing a systems upgrade. U.S. fishing trawler and Canadian navy frigate finally separated after collision in B.C.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Aren’t they a great looking couple? Donald and Daisy Mallard visit from time to time each spring. They drop straight down from the sky and land in our little pond with a pronounced splash – quite startling if we’re out in the yard and hadn’t noticed their sudden arrival overhead...." A Little Help from our (Duck) Friends

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn on Monday announced a new alliance of politicians and tribal leaders opposed to exporting Western coal to Asia from Washington ports. He was joined at a Golden Gardens Park news conference by representatives of the Lummi, Tulalip and Swinomish tribes, Shoreline Mayor Keith McGlashan and two council members from Sumner and Edmonds. Hal Bernton reports. New regional alliance opposes coal-export plan from state ports

At every stop in northern B.C. during this election campaign, Liberal Leader Christy Clark has taken the opportunity to tout the promise of liquefied natural gas. It’s why she came to this small coastal hamlet, where a new elementary school has been opened in the expectation that the community will soon be bustling with construction of an LNG facility. It was her message in Terrace and Fort St. John and Dawson Creek: the industry will deliver a bonanza of revenues that will pay off the provincial debt, create a dividend fund for the north, and more. Justine Hunter reports. Liquefied natural gas a boon to B.C.

B.C. New Democratic Party leader Adrian Dix’s criticism Monday of Kinder Morgan’s proposed $5.4-billion oil pipeline marks the latest twist in an election campaign that, for the first time in B.C.’s modern history, has the oil-and-gas industry emerging as a centrepiece issue. Dix, already opposed to Enbridge’s $6.5-billion pipeline to Kitimat, stopped just short of condemning the Kinder Morgan plan to twin its existing line from Alberta to Burnaby. He has been under considerable pressure from the environmental movement to take a stand on the project. Peter O'Neil reports. Oil and gas industry emerges as centrepiece issue in B.C. elections

The Port of Vancouver in southwest Washington could start handling crude oil from North Dakota under an agreement announced Monday. Spokeswoman Theresa Wagner says the Port of Vancouver has been negotiating with Tesoro Corporation and Savage Companies since late last year. The companies want to bring the oil in by train from the Bakken fields of North Dakota. Wagner said the companies’ intent is to start moving oil by 2014. Bonnie Stewart reports. SW Washington Port Announces Crude Oil Deal

The Washington Senate approved revamping the Model Toxics Control Act on Monday. Most of the Republican-oriented Majority Coalition Caucus supported the overhaul while most of the minority Democrats did not. Actually, the vote was 25-23 with Sens. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, and Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond supporting the measure, plus Sen. Steve Litzow, R-Mercer Island, crossing party lines to oppose it. The bill now goes to the Democratic-controlled House. "I think this will be the greatest jobs creation bill in the state," said Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, chairman of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee, and author of the bill's version that passed. He said the overhaul would boost cleanup work that will cause more people to be hired. John Stang reports. Over environmentalists' objections, state Senate overhauls toxics act

“Orcas of the World – An overview of the diversity of Orcinus orca” is presented by Uko Gortner at the fourth event in The Whale Trail‘s series of presentations Thursday, April 25, 7 pm, in West Seattle at C & P Coffee Company, 5621 California SW. $5 suggested donation, kids free, tickets at Brown Paper Tickets.

North Carolina State University researchers studying aquatic organisms called Daphnia have found that exposure to a chemical pesticide has impacts that span multiple generations -- causing the so-called "water fleas" to produce more male offspring, and causing reproductive problems in female offspring. "This work supports the hypothesis that exposure to some environmental chemicals during sensitive periods of development can cause significant health problems for those organisms later in life -- and affect their offspring and, possibly, their offspring's offspring," says Dr. Gerald LeBlanc, a professor of environmental and molecular toxicology at NC State and lead author of a paper on the work. Study Shows Reproductive Effects of Pesticide Exposure Span Generations

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you like to listen: Celebrate the earth -- from a canyon in the West, where Western Meadowlarks sing … to the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, where a pair of Common Loons returns to breed and raise their young, and spring peepers sing for mates … to an old-growth hardwood forest in North Carolina, where warblers and vireos sing and woodpeckers drum. Celebrate the Earth

King Neptune, the Green Queen and their helpers were out in force Friday to pick up garbage and raise awareness about Earth Day on Monday. This is the second year teams from the Laurel Point Inn, Harbour Air Seaplanes, Eagle Wing Tours and Helijet have picked up refuse, competing for the coveted Golden Garbage Award. In one hour last year, Eagle Wing Tours collected 9,400 pieces of garbage — including an automotive tire — to walk away with the award. Pedro Arrais reports. Good Neighbours: Competitors get down and dirty for Earth Day

The federal Conservatives have decided to mark Earth Day this year, launching a long-promised portal for public access to sensitive environmental data from the oilsands. Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent and his Alberta counterpart Diana McQueen will be at Carleton University in Ottawa on Monday to flick the switch and allow public scrutiny of new research measuring the quality and quantity of the land, air and water in the Athabasca region. Oilsands environmental data to be released for Earth Day

If you like to watch: Although our treasured Northwest waters appear pristine, they are threatened by a host of concerns. Dive beneath the surface with EarthFix to learn about the unseen dangers and their impacts on area fisheries, marine life and tribal communities. Beneath The Surface: An EarthFix Special

The Lower Skagit Valley, a lingering teardrop of tillable soil in a swelling asphalt sea, is still decidedly "wild." This is partly due to luck, but a great deal due to human design — a multipronged defense against the very industrial and suburban sprawl that swallowed up nearly every other place in the region where fertile soil once sustained both plentiful crops and endangered critters. Saving the Skagit for farmland and wildlife — complementary goals — is beyond the scope of any single person, government or agency. It is being accomplished by thousands of people, many with seemingly contradictory goals, sharing only a love of the place itself. Ron Judd reports. From wild birds to beet seeds, the Skagit Valley's riches are being kept safe

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has scheduled a public meeting for Tuesday, April 23 in Port Townsend to solicit input on the protection of Puget Sound’s giant Pacific octopus population. The first of two workshops to solicit public input on the issue is set for 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, April 23 at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St., Port Townsend. The second workshop is 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, April 24 at the Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaska Way, on Pier 59. Octopus fishing rules are topic of meeting April 23 in Port Townsend

Endangered killer whales on the B.C. coast will have no one dedicated to protecting them from unlawful whale-watch activities this summer unless funding is restored to two non-profit groups. For the past decade, Straitwatch has monitored illegal activity and educated private boaters who are unaware that federal law prohibits disturbing or harassing of the whales and that a guideline asks them to maintain a distance of 100 metres. The group had been funded by Environment Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program, but had only $100,000 in start-up funding last season; it began operations in May and ceased in July when no additional money was provided. Larry Pynn reports. Lack of cash leaves guardians of killer whales on B.C. coast tied to shore

Elwha dam removal is hostage to repairs at water-treatment facilities built as part of the $325 million federal river-restoration project. The National Park Service, which is leading the dam-removal project, has hired a contractor for the repairs, and said work on taking down the last third of Glines Canyon Dam will resume July 1. The agency predicts work will be complete well before the contract to remove the dams ends in September 2014. But it could be a much longer wait. Contractors don’t yet have a proven fix for the problems bedeviling the project since last October. And even if they fix the problems by July, some experts say dam removal will likely remain on hold until next year. Lynda Mapes reports. Elwha dam removal hostage to water plant repairs See also: Government expects legal action in wake of Elwha River sediment flowing into, clogging water plant

The National Energy Board says it has strengthened regulations for federally regulated oil and natural gas pipelines to make them safer for people and the environment. The amended regulations that came into effect earlier this month require companies to do more to address safety, pipeline integrity, security, environmental protection and emergency management. Pipeline rules strengthened by National Energy Board

The controversial Haida Salmon Restoration Corp. wants Environment Canada to return scientific data and samples — seized during office searches last month — so it can prepare for a second ocean fertilization experiment this summer. Last year, the Old Massett-based corporation unloaded more than 100 tonnes of iron sulfate, plus iron oxide and iron dust, into the ocean 320 kilometres off the coast of Haida Gwaii. The experiment, which was designed to increase salmon runs by creating an algae bloom for the fish to feed on, led to international controversy and accusations of geoengineering. Judith Lavoie reports. Haida readying for second round of iron dumping in ocean

Bremerton’s Shoreline Master Program, approved by the Bremerton City Council, is now under review by the Washington Department of Ecology, which is taking comments on the plan. The master program must be approved by both the city and Ecology before it goes into effect. Comments will be taken by Ecology until May 24. Chris Dunagan reports. Bremerton shoreline plan under review

A B.C.-based animal rights group says it has the perfect low-cost solution for Canadian municipalities that still trap and kill pesky beavers. The Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals insists that for just a few hundred dollars, communities can buy water-flow devices that effectively discourage the beavers’ dam-building habits that cause serious flood damage to roads and property. Beaver Deceivers rid Mission of pesky rodents

Anderson Lake, which has the dubious distinction of setting a poisonous world record in 2008, is under a microscope. The goal: to try to find out why one of the North Olympic Peninsula's most popular fishing spots has been plagued since 2006 by soaring levels of anatoxin-a, a potent nerve toxin produced by blue-green algae. In June 2008, the 60 acres of lake within Anderson Lake State Park near Port Townsend contained the highest level of anatoxin-a ever recorded in the world: 172,640 micrograms per liter. The safety threshold for the toxin, which can kill in four minutes after ingestion, is 1 microgram per liter. Jeremy Schwartz reports. What makes Anderson Lake so unusually toxic? Scientists to try to find answer

Friday, April 19, 2013

Environmental cleanup excavations are turning up more mercury than expected in a small area of the old Georgia-Pacific Corp. mill site, and that could add as much as $1.4 million to the project's cost. Brian Gouran, environmental site manager for the Port of Bellingham, said the discovery of additional high mercury concentrations means more tainted soil will have to be stabilized with cement and sulfur for packaging before shipment by truck to an approved landfill in Oregon. John Stark reports. More mercury found, boosting cost of Bellingham waterfront cleanup

A deadly fishing net, first reported in November abandoned in Hood Canal, was removed last week by enforcement officers for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Sgt. Ted Jackson of the agency said he felt compelled to take action when he received no response from the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, which had previously investigated and removed a portion of the net. The net was abandoned just north of Big Anderson Creek near Holly. Jackson said the net was still catching marine life before it was removed Friday. He estimated that between 60 and 80 crabs, mostly dead, were tangled in the net along with several sand dabs, a type of flounder. Chris Dunagan reports. Fishing net on Hood Canal removed after five months

The federal government has activated the new inshore rescue boat in Stanley Park, following the controversial closure of the Kits Coast Guard base. Tony Booth, with the Victoria Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said the boat docked at HMCS Discovery was ready for service as of Monday at 4 p.m. He noted that as of Thursday morning, the centre had not yet sent the rescue boat on any emergency calls. The inshore station will operate 24 hours a day seven days a week by three rotating Coast Guard staff using a rigid inflatable dinghy. Response times are expected to be 30 minutes or less, and the crew will service English Bay and Howe Sound. Tiffany Crawford reports. New Coast Guard rescue boat ready for action in English Bay, Howe Sound

After years of lobbying by local business owners, dredging of the Fraser River channels that run through Ladner and Steveston is slated to begin this summer. "We have all the money in hand, all the approvals, nothing's standing in the way," said Delta Mayor Lois Jackson. Local governments in Delta and Richmond, as well as the province and Port Metro Vancouver, committed $10 million in funding last December. A request for proposal to begin the work was issued earlier this month, with a goal of starting the dredging in June, Delta city staff told council on Monday. Fraser River dredging to start in June

China's largest bank will be helping to finance the proposed Kitimat refinery, which would process oil from the Alberta oilsands in B.C., instead of the raw bitumen being shipped overseas. B.C. media mogul David Black said he has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) for the proposed refinery that is estimated to cost $25 billion. Black, who was in Beijing on Thursday, did not say how much money ICBC will provide, only that the bank has expressed interest in loaning money to the enterprise, functioning as a co-ordinator to get other banks involved, and providing engineering and construction help to build the refinery. China's largest bank in deal to finance Kitimat refinery

Three of the Western bluebirds introduced to Vancouver Island last year have returned to the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve — the first sign a complex reintroduction program is working. “Since we are working to restore a self-sustaining population of Western bluebirds on Vancouver Island, we are very excited about the return of some of the bluebirds raised at the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve in 2012,” said Gary Slater of the Ecostudies Institute, the group helping relocate birds from Washington state to the Island. Two of the returning birds were brought to Cowichan as babies with their parents last year, while the other hatched in Cowichan. Judith Lavoie reports. Bluebirds' return to Cowichan Valley a sign of success for reintroduction program

Deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard turned to his eager audience. Pointing to an image on a big screen at the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club, he asked: "What's that?" Kids shouted out the obvious answer: "Earth." "Funny," Ballard told the crowd, "most of it is water." He has been a Naval Reserve commander and a University of Rhode Island oceanography professor. He spent 30 years at the nonprofit Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Of all his discoveries, he is best known for finding the wreck of the R.M.S. Titanic. He has seen places few will ever go. Now, thanks to renovations and new technology at the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club and curriculum related to Ballard's explorations, kids here will experience underwater exploration. Julie Muhlstein reports. Immersing kids in STEM subjects

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

New blog: “April is like high church season for environmentalists and Earth Day on and around the 22nd its culmination. Writing about this year’s Earth Day became tough this week after Monday’s bombing of the Boston Marathon and yesterday’s Senate actions and inaction on gun public safety....” Earth Day 2013

The state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would ban two carcinogenic flame retardants in car seats, strollers and other products made for young children. The measure to ban TCEP and chlorinated Tris - also known as TDCPP - was scaled back from the version advanced by the Democrat-controlled House in March. The ban would take effect in 2015. Unlike the House bill, the Senate version doesn't include banning the two retardants from sofas and other upholstered household products. It also removes a provision barring the replacement of banned flame retardants with other likely toxic chemicals - a phenomenon advocates refer to as "the toxic treadmill." Jonathan Kaminsky reports. State Senate OKs scaled-back flame retardant ban

The Washington state Department of Health reopened Drayton Harbor to commercial harvesting Wednesday, April 17, because fecal coliform pollution has dropped to safe levels. It was closed Friday after water samples taken earlier in the week - following heavy rain and polluted runoff - from where California and Dakota creeks empty into Drayton Harbor showed very high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Water samples taken Monday, April 15, showed that the harbor was once again safe for shellfish harvesting. Kie Relyea reports. State reopens Drayton Harbor, Samish Bay to commercial shellfish harvesting

The state Department of Health reopened Samish Bay Wednesday morning, after high fecal coliform bacterial confirmed a precautionary closure of the bay’s shellfish beds last week, according to a news release. Recent water samples showed the bay was again safe for shellfish harvest. Fecal coliform bacteria act as indicators for more harmful pathogens found in waste from animals and humans. This pollution can make shellfish unhealthy for consumption. Erinn Unger reports. Samish Bay shellfish beds to reopen Wednesday

Opponents of a plan to put a sewage treatment plant and biosolids facility in Esquimalt got the backing of the co-author of a report advocating small treatment plants scattered around the region rather than one large one. The Capital Regional District failed to act on a suggestion it spend $20,000 to draw up a business case to understand the economics of sewage treatment, Chris Corps told a standing-room-only crowd at a public forum Tuesday night. “Right now, my math tells me they spent $50 million but they don’t have a $20,000 business case,” said Corps, who co-wrote a 2007 report commissioned by the province to examine integrated resource management, which uses small scattered treatment plants to sell heat, water and fuel from sewage. Sandra McCulloch reports. Think small on sewage plans, expert tells forum

Want to see a volcano explode hundreds of meters below the surface of the Pacific Ocean? How about in real-time streaming video, online, from the comport of your own ipad? Well, there’s a massive scientific project underway that could help you with that, and more. The Regional Cabled Observatory is a $239 million project, funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal: to better understand and monitor the depths of the Pacific Ocean – from volcanic eruptions to deep-sea earthquakes that could lead to tsunamis. Ashley Ahearn reports. Getting Ready For World’s Largest Underwater Observatory

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

The possibility of coal export terminals being set up in the Pacific Northwest will be the topic of a lecture in Port Angeles today and in Port Townsend on Thursday. Ashley Ahearn, a science and environmental reporter for KUOW 94.9 FM of Seattle, will present “Coal Export Terminals in the Pacific Northwest: A Look at the Policy, Science and Economics of Selling American Coal to Asia” in both cities. Today’s lecture will be at 6:30 p.m. at The Landing mall, 115 E. Railroad Ave., Port Angeles. Admission will be free. Thursday’s lecture will be at 7 p.m. at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave., Port Townsend. Coal export talks slated on Peninsula this week

Dr. Sue Moore of NOAA Fisheries speaks on “Gray Whales as Sentinels of Climate Change” at 3 PM on April 20 at the 10th annual Welcome the Whales festival in Langley on Whidbey Island. Dr. Moore has 35 years research experience focused on the ecology, bioacoustics and natural history of whales and dolphins, with much of her work directed towards cetaceans in the Pacific Arctic region. For more information, go to Orca Network.

The city of Seattle and King County have agreed to make a total of $1.46 billion in sewer-system upgrades to reduce the amount of polluted water that enters Puget Sound and other waterways, under settlements reached with the federal government. The settlements resolve claims by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Department of Ecology that the county and city violated the federal Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage and other pollutants into local waters. The consent decree was negotiated over several years by local, state and federal officials and was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Seattle, King County settle with EPA over water pollution

Starting next year, the public will have a new place from which to enjoy the beauty of Port Susan. Barnum Point, on the northeast side of Camano Island, was recently bought by Island County and the Nature Conservancy for about $2 million. The 52-acre property contains woodlands and dramatic views across the bay to the southeast from a beach and a 150-foot bluff. Bill Sheets reports. Island County, group preserve 52 acres on Camano for park

Two 125-foot derelict vessels tied up at a dilapidated Guemes Channel dock were taken to safer moorage at the Port of Seattle by Global Diving and Salvage on Friday on behalf of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. DNR’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program took custody of the former Royal Canadian Navy vessels April 1 due to concerns they threatened navigational safety in the channel, the structural integrity of the nearby Guemes Island ferry dock and the health of the area’s marine ecosystem. Joan Pringle reports. Derelict vessels removed after state takes custody

The Quinault Indian Nation is closing Lake Quinault on the Olympic Peninsula to non-tribal fishing until further notice. President Fawn Sharp said Tuesday the emergency measure is aimed at protecting water quality in the tribe-owned lake. She said tribal leaders are concerned leaky septic tanks owned by non-tribal residents in the area may have caused untreated sewage to get into the lake. The tribe has detected pollution in some areas of the lake and plans to conduct more water quality tests. Tribe closes Lake Quinault to non-tribal fishing

When people look at her art, Lin McJunkin wants them to question themselves and their impact on the Earth. Working from a small studio behind her home in Conway, McJunkin encapsulates big environmental issues, from climate change and coal extraction to fracking, in textured, multi-hued glass and metal pieces. Initially she wants viewers to see the beauty in the piece, then drill down to the message. Erinn Unger reports. The scientific artist

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Right now it’s not illegal to hunt octopus in Puget Sound – unless you’re in a marine preserve or conservation area. In fact, if you have a state fishing license you can kill and harvest one every day. But the killing of a giant Pacific octopus off Alki Beach in Seattle last October prompted a public outcry. Hundreds of scuba divers and members of the public submitted petitions to the state of Washington asking for better protection for the giant Pacific octopus in Puget Sound. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has responded, approving four possible management plans for consideration and public comment. Ashley Ahearn reports. New Protections Proposed For Octopuses in Puget Sound

Enbridge Inc. must put in place all of its of voluntary spill and tanker safety plan, fund heavy oil spill research and hold nearly $1-billion in liability coverage if it builds its controversial Northern Gateway project, a federal panel has determined. On Friday morning, the National Energy Board released a lengthy list of potential conditions for Gateway. The list does not constitute approval of the project – that decision is not expected until later this year. But the board said Friday “the publication of potential conditions is a standard step in the hearing process that is mandated by the courts.” Nathan Vanderklippe reports. Gateway can’t go ahead without full safety plan, Enbridge told

Acidification of the world's oceans could have a profound effect on the North Olympic Peninsula, a panel of experts told Clallam County commissioners Monday. Caused by carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, ocean acidification can destroy shells of crabs, clams, oysters and scores of creatures at the bottom of the food chain. The Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound and outer coast of Washington are particularly vulnerable because acidic water is upwelled off the coast every spring and summer. Rob Ollikainen reports. Panel: Ocean acidification threatening sea life here

With coastal areas bracing for rising sea levels, new research indicates that cutting emissions of certain pollutants can greatly slow down sea level rise this century. The research team found that reductions in four pollutants that cycle comparatively quickly through the atmosphere could temporarily forestall the rate of sea level rise by roughly 25 to 50 percent. ...(T)he research team focused on emissions of four other heat-trapping pollutants: methane, tropospheric ozone, hydrofluorocarbons, and black carbon. These gases and particles last anywhere from a week to a decade in the atmosphere, and they can influence climate more quickly than carbon dioxide, which persists in the atmosphere for centuries. Cutting Specific Pollutants Would Slow Sea Level Rise, Research Indicates

Thurston County Stormwater Utility/Stream Team Program and WSU Extension are recruiting volunteers to train as "Stormwater Stewards." The program works with local residents to help reduce pollution in our local waterways and Puget Sound from stormwater runoff. Volunteers receive training in on-site stormwater management including rain gardens, water-wise plants, sloped biodetention hedgerows, pervious pavements, vegetated roofs, and more. Trained volunteers work in teams to provide guidance to homeowners who want to do their part to protect local waterways and Puget Sound. John Dodge reports. Volunteers Sought for Unique “Stormwater Stewards” Program

The Port of Bremerton has hired Robert Wise, an experienced marina owner, to help fill some of the vacant slips in the Bremerton Marina, it was announced this week. Port CEO Tim Thomson said Wise will work for the port as a consultant from now until Aug. 31, with a goal of finding 50 new tenants for the marina. Wise will be paid $9,000 a month for his services which will also include the creation and implementation of a marketing plan for the marina. Wise, of Marsh Andersen LLC., owns a number of slips at the marina on Bainbridge Island and owns and operates the 160-slip Port Haddock Marina in Port Townsend. He has already begun his work, he said Monday. Leslie Kelly reports. Port hires Bainbridge consultant to fill Bremerton Marina

The British Columbia government has issued a ministerial order to Teck Coal Ltd. requiring the company to submit a plan for dealing with the high levels of selenium and other contaminants in the Elk Valley watershed. The order, which was welcomed by the company as “a constructive way to move forward,” covers both the Elk and Fording rivers and Lake Koocanusa, an international body of water that stretches across the U.S. border. High selenium levels have been recorded, raising worries about the impact it could have on cutthroat trout, water birds and aquatic insects. Mark Hume reports. B.C. orders Teck Coal to submit selenium plan

For years, the interests of farmers, tribes, wildlife management agencies and environmentalists have collided in the wetlands, fields, rivers and ditches of Skagit County’s fertile delta. And for many of those years, Mike Shelby has advocated on behalf of commercial growers in a way that has helped bring collaborative, mutually agreeable solutions to problems that easily could have ended up in court. After a full career centered around agriculture and 11 years serving as the executive director of the Western Washington Agricultural Association, Shelby, 65, plans to retire by the end of June. Mark Stayton reports. Replacing agriculture’s advocate

Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "This image, taken last summer in Port McNeill, seems to sum up the way my two worlds – land and sea – bump up against each other and compete for my attention. Every spring and summer I am torn between the two. One half of me is tethered to the land, wanting to be home in the garden…the other half is casting off the lines, wanting to slip away to explore the BC coast. Both worlds pull at me, in a dichotomy I’ve felt for most of my life..." The Pull of Two Worlds

If you like to watch: The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) in cooperation with the San Juan Preservation Trust, the San Juan County Audubon Society, and the Ecostudies Institute is working to reestablish a breeding population of Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) to areas of their historic range where they have been extirpated in the San Juan Islands. Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project

Key scientific documents needed before the department of Fisheries and Oceans can implement its plan to save British Columbia’s wild salmon have been held up in Ottawa for a year. The documents, concerning sockeye conservation units on the Fraser River, were withheld from the Cohen Commission even though they were substantially ready for release at the time the federal inquiry was under way. The reports, confidential draft copies of which have been obtained by The Globe and Mail, show that seven of the 24 conservation units in the watershed have been designated as “red zones” with another four rated red/amber. That classification means the salmon populations in those areas are considered at risk of extinction. Mark Hume reports. Ottawa withholding reports on B.C. wild salmon

Even with a budget crunch and a coalition of Republicans and fiscally conservative Democrats controlling the Washington Senate, the green groups that lobby every year as the Environmental Priorities Coalition seems likely to get a good deal of its "Conservation Works" shopping list funded through the next state capital budget. The list includes money for Puget Sound, including stormwater management and flood plain restoration; forest health; and the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which provides money for habitat and parks. At least some money for these programs appears in capital budgets put forward by the Governor, the House and even the Senate. Dan Chasan reports. How green is the state budget?

If you like to watch: Hundreds of people showed up Sunday to get a good look at a dead fin whale that washed ashore at Seahurst Park in Burien. The whale washed up Saturday morning, and biologists believe the whale was either dragged or drifted ashore. It may have been dead for as long as a week. Experts say it's rare to see a fin whale in Puget Sound, but now this dead one at Seahurst Park is attracting a crowd. Kristen Drew reports. 'It's breathtaking, actually': Burien's dead whale draws a crowd See also: Dead whale on Burien beach likely hit by ship

Christopher Dunagan at the Kitsap Sun reminded me after reading Friday's Salish Sea Communications blog about progress towards meeting the Puget Sound Partnership's goal of Puget Sound recovery by 2020 that the Kitsap Sun is continuing a series of stories examining six categories of indicators the Puget Sound Partnership is using to gauge the health of Puget Sound. Stories will look at indicators in categories like the ecosystem's food web, water quality, water quantity, species and habitats. Check out Chris's reporting at Taking the Pulse of Puget Sound

A broken sewage pipe has contaminated a fish-bearing stream in Coquitlam, B.C., prompting a demand for immediate federal cash to upgrade aging pipes and other infrastructure. Mayor Richard Stewart says there's still no word how much sewage poured into Scott Creek, a tributary of the Coquitlam River, but he says the broken pipe carries one million litres daily, so officials know the spill is significant. Broken pipe pumps thousands of litres of sewage into Coquitlam creek

Washington Department of Ecology inspectors are taking water samples and identifying sources of fecal coliform bacteria in Bertrand Creek watershed to clean up pollution that could sicken people and is threatening Lummi Nation shellfish beds in Portage Bay. "The water sampling shows that the fecal coliform levels in the Bertrand Creek watershed continue to rise, and they have for the last 10 years," said Dustin Terpening, Ecology spokesman. "They do not meet state and federal standards for clean water." Those bacteria levels are three times greater than they were in 2003, when they last met standards. Kie Relyea reports. Shellfish effort aims to reduce pollution in Whatcom County waterways

Drayton Harbor and Samish Bay have been closed to shellfish harvest after test results showed high levels of fecal coliform pollution entering both bays from rivers that drain into them. The Washington state Department of Health closed Drayton Harbor to commercial harvesting on Friday, April 12. Water samples taken earlier in the week from where California and Dakota creeks empty into Drayton Harbor showed "very high levels of fecal coliform," said Bob Woolrich, shellfish growing area manager with the state Department of Health. Drayton Harbor, Samish Bay close to shellfish harvesting

The Maury Island open space formerly owned by Glacier Northwest will likely see funds for restoration and improvement from a new county parks foundation, King County announced last week. On April 9, King County Parks announced it has established a new foundation with a $75,000 initial gift from a Seattle wealth management firm. The parks agency, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, hopes to grow the foundation to $75 million over the next decade, largely with gifts from the private sector. The county has already identified the 250-acre Maury Island site it purchased from Glacier Northwest in 2010 as one of seven priority projects it hopes to funnel foundation money into in the coming years. The property, which the county has designated as a natural area, contains large madrone stands, sweeping views of the water and one of the largest undeveloped shorelines in all of Puget Sound. Natalie Johnson reports. Former Glacier site will likely benefit from county’s new parks foundation

The first written statement of the collaboration between the Makah tribe and the U.S. Coast Guard in vigilance against oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca was celebrated with a traditional potlatch and blessing in the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in Seattle last week. The memorandum of agreement, or MOA, signed Friday is the first written statement of the working relationship between the Makah and the Coast Guard, who collaborate in preventing and responding to oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Parker said. Leah Leach reports. Makah, Coast Guard pact a first on several fronts

Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is demanding $9 million in damages from the city of Oak Harbor for the desecration of a burial ground. The tribe filed a complaint for damages with the city Tuesday. The claim accuses city officials of violating law and breaching their legal duty by digging up the known site of an ancient tribal village and burial ground. The excavation occurred during the 2011 road project on Pioneer Way. Justin Burnett reports. Swinomish seek $9 million in damages from city of Oak Harbor

Port of Bellingham and city staffers have assured the city's Planning and Development Commission that waterfront cleanup and building plans will be safe, and the Washington Department of Ecology will be checking those plans to make sure. At their Thursday, April 11, meeting, planning commissioners got a briefing on plans to deal with the legacy of industrial toxins in the soil and water, and on plans to deal with earthquake hazards and sea level rise. Ecology cleanup site manager Mark Adams said environmental cleanup plans for 237 waterfront acres won't be completed or executed until his agency approves. John Stark reports. Port says waterfront development plans will be safe

A new, relatively untapped fishery is growing on the North Olympic Peninsula, with at least two fish distributors planning to expand hagfish operations to supply Asian markets. Hagfish, also known as “slime eels,” are not eaten in the U.S. but are a popular food in South Korea, Brandt Koo, general manager of Five Ocean Seafoods Inc., told Port of Port Angeles commissioners last week. Arwyn Rice reports. You may go ewww, but slimy hagfish might be Peninsula's next fishery boon

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482